Diffusing apparatus



March 18, 19 1. o. T. FIELDERYETAL DIFFUSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 12, 1938 a i 4AM ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1941 DIFFUSIN G APPARATUS Ollie '1. Fielder and William E. Fielder, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Thermo Diffuser Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 12, 1938, Serial No. 229,496

7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for diffusing liquid substances.

In food-processing plants, meat-packing plants, breweries, warehouses, and elsewhere, it is nec- 5 essary at more or less frequent intervals to use insecticides or disinfectants, or both, in order to maintain a sanitary condition.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved diffuser for dispersing insecticides, disinfectants and various other liquid substances, the diffuser having a large range of effective coverage, and being rapid in action and economical in the use of the diffused substances.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diffuser having simple but effective means for varying the concentration and direction of flow of the dispersion.

A further object is to provide a power-operated diffuser which is self-contained so as to be ca- 20 pable of use under widely varying conditions.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating a diffuser embodying the invention, 25 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the diffuser, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a top view, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken generally along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of one, of the diffusing or atomizing devices;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of another diffusing device;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation of the spray nozzle of the diffusing device of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective sectional view of a modified form of liquid-discharging tube.

In the drawing, I designates a hand truck 40 frame supported on front and rear wheels I l and I2, respectively, the axle of the front wheels having a fifth-wheel mounting l3 and being provided with a pivoted draft handle l4 which is normally spring-urged to an upstanding position against an arcuate guard bar l of the frame.

A steam generator or boiler 5, preferably of the vertical fire-tube type, is mounted at the rear of the frame, and is provided with the usual boiler accessories, such as steam gauge, gauge glass, safety valve, blow-off and fusible plugs.

An injector I! supplies the boiler with water.

from a water tank l8 mounted within the frame at the front of the boiler, the injector being connected to the boiler and tank by the usual valved 55 pi n A valved multiple gas burner I9 is supported below the boiler on a perforated floor plate and is connected to a valved manifold 2|. A hood 22 surmounts the boiler and is provided at one side with a vent 23 for the flue gases.

A tank 24 for compressed fuel-gas is detachably mounted at the front portion of the truck frame and has a base ring 25 resting on parts of the frame and confined in a collar or loop member 26 secured to the frame. A valve 21 at the top of the gas tank is connected by a high pressure tube 28 to a pressure regulator 29, and a low-pressure tube 30 connects the regulator with the burner manifold 2|.

A platform 3| is secured to the vehicle frame above the gas tank to form a hose support, as hereinafter described, the platform having an upwardly flanged opening 32 through which the gas tank valve is accessible.

A vertical pipe 33 is connected to the top of the steam generator centrally thereof and passes through the hood 22. A throttle valve 34 is connected laterally to the upper end of the pipe 33 and in turn communicates with a swivel body 35 on which a horizontally extending nozzleforming pipe 36 is swivelled to swing about a vertical axis. The pipe 36 carries a handle 31 by which it may be swung, and at its free end the pipe is provided with a detachable nozzle cap 38 having a steam discharge opening 39, the cap being replaceable by similar caps having openings of different size.

A vented cylindrical receptacle or vessel 43 is provided at its upper wall with a filling plug 41 and with a pair of rigidly secured horizontally spaced hangers 42 which have respective openings 43 to slidably receive therethrough the horizontal steam pipe 36, the receptacle being thereby suspended on the pipe. Each hanger is provided at its top with a thumb-screw 44 to adjust the elevation of the opposite ends of the vessel, or to lock the receptacle in adjusted position, or both, the openings 43 in the hangers being somewhat larger in vertical dimension than the diameter of the pipe, and each thumbscrew having a lock nut 45. A vertical liquidsupply tube comprising a tip member 43 and bottom member 41 detachably joined by a coupling 48 is mounted in the receptacle near its front end. A flanged bushing 49 is screwed into the top wall of the receptacle, and has the tip member 46 adjustably screw-threaded therethrough to adjust the elevation of the upper end of the tip member, the tip member being held in adjusted position by a lock nut 50 engageable with the outer end of the bushing and readily accessible from the exterior of the receptacle. The lower end of the tubular bottom member 41 carries a filter screen 5 l By removing the bushing the entire tube assembly can be lifted out of the receptacle, permitting different tip members to be used. The tip member has an approximately flat upper end face 52 which is arranged approximately in the projected axis of the horizontal nozzle pipe 36 but is shiftable up or down through a limited range in order to vary the flow of liquid through the tube under the suction effect of the steam jet or blast issuing from the pipe, and also to vary the direction of flow of the steam-dispersed liquid. The discharge opening 53 of the tube is considerably smaller in cross-sectional area than the upper end face 52 of the tube so as to provide a relatively largeheated area on this face for the support of a liquid film. In some instances, the receptacle may be provided with liquid-agitating means, such as a paddle shaft 54 rotatable on a horizontal axis.

In addition to the diffusing device above described, another diffusing device 55 is provided for use in cases where the first cannot be used, as by reason of inaccessibility or hazard, although in many instances the two devices may be used concurrently. A steam tap 56 is mounted on the steam boiler and carries a throttle valve 51. The tap has attached thereto a flexible hose 58 which when not in use may be coiled up on the platform 3i, the upstanding annular flange of which aids in the coiling. A nozzle pipe 59 is attached to the free end of the hose and has a portion passing through a T St and provided with a running screw thread iii by which the pipe may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the T, the adjustment being maintained by a lock nut 62. The free end of pipe 59 carries an apertured nozzle cap it. A liquid pipe 64 is arranged below and parallel to the steam pipe 59 and at one end is screw-threaded into a T 65, which is rigidly secured to the T fill. The free end of the liquid pipe at carries an eblow 66 which supports a bushing (ii having an upstanding tubular tip 68 adjustably screw-threaded therethrough and held in vertically adjusted position by a lock nut 69, as in the device of Fig. 4. The tip 68 has the same relation to the steam pipe as in the device of Fig. i. The liquid pipe 64 carries an upstanding saddle post it on which the steam pipe is slidably saddled, and the two pipes are held in parallel relation by a connecting strap H slidable with respect to one of the pipes. The T is secured to a screw cap 12 engaging a jar l3 adapted to contain the liquid to be diffused, and a pipe it extends downwardly from the T and carries a filter screen '55 at its open lower end. A screen it extends about the pipe '14 adjacent the inner side walls of the jar and serves to break up any suspended matter in the liquid, The jarfits in a cage-like holder Tl provided with a carrying handle 78.

The modified form of tubular atomizing tip 79 shown in Fig. 7 is Similar to that of Figs. 4 and 5 except that the upper end wall of the tip has formed therein a diametrically arranged row of discharge openings 85, the upper ends of which lie in the fiat upper end face 8! of the tip, this face extending in the steam jet or blast and approximately parallel to the axis of the jet and form a supporting surface for a liquid film. The tubular tip is externally screw-threaded and is mounted in the same manner as the tips of Figs. 4 and 5. In some instances, the row of openings 80 may be replaced by an equivalent slit. By rotatably adjusting the tip on its mounting, the concentration of the diffusion or fog can be varied. When a high concentration is desired, the row of openings is arranged transversely of the steam jet, and when the row of openings is parallel to the jet a low concentration results.

In setting up the diffusing apparatus for use, the receptacle 40 is slid onto the horizontal steam pipe 36 after removing the jet cap 38, and the cap is then replaced. The receptacle is filled with the liquid chemical to be diffused, such as an insecticide or disinfectant, and is adjusted along the pipe to obtain the desired distance between the cap 38 and the liquid discharge tip M5. The thumb-screws 44 are then tightened to maintain the adjustment and if desired these screws may be adjusted to tilt the container through a limited angle. The height of the liquid discharge tip is also adjusted by screwing the tip up or down in the bushing 49.

In operation, steam from the boiler flows through the vertical pipe 33, throttle valve 34, swivel joint 35, and the horizontal pipe 35, causing a diverging jet or blast of steam to issue from the apertured cap 38 at high velocity. The steam jet flows over the top face 52 of liquid discharge tip it, producing a suction which causes the liquid to flow upwardly in the tip from the receptacle 4i] and to discharge into the steam jet, some or all of the discharged liquid forming a film on the extended heated top face of the tip. The liquid is then dispersed in the steam jet in the form of a fog or vapor by the velocity and heat of the steam jet and is carried considerable distances by the velocity of the steam jet and by convection currents. In practice, using a steam pressure of 50 to pounds, it is possible to rapidly and effectively diffuse the chemical from one station through a space of several hundred feet in all directions. This is useful in breweries and other places having large rooms several stories high, the upper portions of which would otherwise be inaccessible. By moving the liquid dis charge tip 45 toward the steam nozzle cap 38, or by increasing the throttle valve opening, the concentration of the diffused liquid is increased, and by raising the tip the fog'or vapor will flow in an upwardly inclined direction. By increasing the steam pressure,.the steam temperature will also increase, thus affording a means for controlling the steam temperature. The diffusing device may be mounted in any horizontal direction by swinging it about its swivelled connection.

For some classes of work it is necessary or desirable to use the manually supported diffusing device 55 which is connected to the steam boiler by the flexible hose 58. The operation, however, is practically as above described. If desired, the steam blast can be directed through a window or other opening so that the operator need not enter the room or space to be treated. The manually operated device is also useful Where it is desirable to treat surfaces at close range. In some cases the high temperature of the steam blast will have a sterilizing effect.

For certain classes of work, it is desirable to produce thin coatings of various substances on a supporting surface such as a thin coating of oil or wax. Swabbing of the surface is not only wasteful of the material but makes it difiicult to produce an extremely thin coating, whereas the diffuser of the invention is capable of economically producing the coating and regulating its thickness.

The diffusing apparatus of the invention is capable of use with a wide variety of substances,

such as insecticides, disinfectants, fumigants, detergents, aromatics, oils and waxes, either as liquids or as liquid suspensions. These substances may be designated generally as chemicals. The (apparatus is especially useful in treating large rooms or spaces, such as in food-processing plants, meat-packing plants, breweries, warehouses, libraries, theaters, and hospitals. Because of the relatively rapid action of the apparatus, it is possible to provide effective treatment in cases where onl a limited time is available. As the apparatus is entirely self-contained, it is not necessary to rely on other sources of power when using the apparatus, and it is possible to maintain close control of the steam pressure.

That we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a difiuser, the combination, with means for producing an elastic fluid jet, of liquid-supplying means including a conduit having a substantially flat end face across which said jet is adapted to flow, there being a plurality of discharge openings in said end face, said openings bein arranged in a row transverse to said jet, and said conduit being :angularly adjustable about a longitudinal axis to vary the rate of liquid flow.

2. In a diffuser, the combination, with means for producing an elastic fluid jet, of liquid-supplying means including a conduit having a-substantially flat end face across which said jet is adapted to flow, there being a plurality of disch penings in said end face, said conduit being rotat'ably adjustable on an axis substantially perpendicular to said end face to vary the rate of liquid flow, at least one of said openings being eccentric to said axis.

3. In a difiuser, the combination, with means for producing an elastic fluid jet, of liquid-supplying means including a conduit extending transversely of the jet and having an apertured end face across which said jet is adapted to flow, said conduit being rotatably adjustable on an axis substantially perpendicular to said end face to vary the rate of liquid flow, said end face having a discharge aperture arranged eccentrically of said axis.

4. In a diiiuser, the combination, with means for producing an elastic fluid jet, of a liquid conduit having an apertured discharge end in the path of the jet, said apertured end having a discharge orifice area elongated transversely of the conduit end, and said conduit being angularly adjust-able about a longitudinal axis to vary the rate of liquid flow.

5. In a diffuser, the combination of a hollow member adapted to conduct an elastic fluid under pressure, a nozzle member communicating with said hollow member and extending laterally thereof, said nozzle member having a swivel mounting to permit swinging movement thereof about an approximately vertical axis, a liquid receptacle, means for attaching said receptacle to said nozzle member, said nozzle member and receptacle being swingable as a unit, and a tube for conducting liquid-from said receptacle and having a discharge portion in atomizing relation to said nozzle member.

6. In a diffuser, the combination of a hollow member adapted to conduct an elastic fluid under pressure, a substantially horizontal nozzle pipe communicating with and swivelled on said hollow member to swing about a substantially vertical axis, and a liquid receptacle supported on said pipe and swingable therewith and having a conduit with a discharge portion in atomizing relation to said nozzle pipe.

7. In a diifuser, the combination of a supportforming container for a compressed elastic fluid, a nozzle member communicating with said container and having a pivotal mounting thereon to swing about an approximately vertical axis, a liquid receptacle attached to said nozzle member and swingable therewith as a unit, and means for conducting liquid from said receptacle into atomizing relation to said nozzle member.

OLLIE T. FIE-LDER. WILLIAM E. FIELDER. 

